The present invention relates to a microminiature coaxial connector which locks by snap-fastening, including two complementary connector elements each comprising a hollow cylindrical body forming an exterior earthing contact and, starting from its forward end, having a cavity into which there penetrates a central contact, respectively a male one and a female one, retained in the body via an insulator, a first of the connector elements including, inside its body, an elastic socket surrounding the central contact and extending beyond the forward end of the body, the said elastic socket including, close to its free end, substantially in line with the end of the central contact which it surrounds, a peripheral bead able to engage in a groove formed in the interior wall of the body of the second connector element.
Owing to the very small dimensions of the connectors in question, of which the bodies, forming exterior contacts, have a diameter of the order of 3 mm, the components of these connectors, and particularly the central contacts, constitute particularly delicate parts.
In particular, these central contacts may very easily be damaged when, at the time of connection, the axes of the connector elements are not aligned.
Thus, when there is an angular offset between the connector elements which are being connected, the male central contact engages crookedly in the female central contact which, owing to the forces applied to bring the connector elements closer together, may lead to the central contacts being destroyed.
Such annular offsets often arise in practice and often the connector elements have to be coupled blind, for example when one of the connector elements, made in the form of a base, is housed at the bottom of a cavity formed in an item of equipment, the other connector element, made in the form of a plug, being fitted at the end of a coaxial cable to be connected.
Such a case arises, for example, when fitting an additional card, such as a PCM-CIA card into a portable microcomputer, it being necessary for the card to be housed in a slot-shaped cavity of the microcomputer, and it being necessary for at least one of the connections between the card and the microcomputer to be made by means of a microminiature coaxial connector.